“Oh Mr Hart, what a mess!”
A legendary painter of outback Australia, Pro Hart was almost as famous for his carpet-cleaning ads. But whether it was his sweeping landscapes, or 30 seconds of TV fame, Hart became a household name in Australia – and one of the most popular contemporary artists of our time.
Born Kevin Charles Hart in Broken Hill on May 30, 1928, Hart’s early years were spent on the family’s sheep property Larloona Station near Menindee. He later became known as Pro, short for “Professor” due to his creative and inventive nature. Some of Pro’s inventions included home-made machine guns, attempts to use explosives to make artificial diamonds, using cannons to make paintings and even an ambitious plan to drop paint bombs from a hot air balloon onto Ayer’s Rock!
A self-taught artist, Hart’s preoccupation with art and the Australian outback started early and the young miner worked a double life – toiling during the day underground in the mines and turning to his canvases at night. Hart made the transition from miner to full time artist in late 1967, at age 39. Whilst the mines provided stable employment for Hart and his young family, Hart dreaded working underground in the mines and the danger associated with the job. The change of career paid off, particularly when Hart was discovered by Kim Bonythan, an Adelaide entrepreneur and art dealer.
In 1976, Hart was awarded an MBE for his services to art in Australia and in 1982 received an Honorary Life Membership of Society International Artistique for outstanding artistic achievement. This is granted to only one artist per continent. In 1983 he received an Australian Citizen of the Year Award.
Pro Hart passed away on 28 March 2006 at age 77, after battling motor neurone disease. A large state funeral was held in his honour in Broken Hill.
Pro Hart Gallery >